Prescott wins judicial review in phone hack scandal

Lord Prescott's attempt to force Scotland Yard to explain why he was not originally told that his phone messages had been hacked was approved by the High Court today.

Mr Justice Foskett ruled that the Met's past handling of the News of the World hacking inquiry should be taken to a judicial review.
Passing judgment, he said that the former deputy prime minister and his co-applicants had an "arguable case" and he emphasised that Scotland Yard had a "duty of candour".

Lord Prescott sought the review with former Europe minister Chris Bryant, former police deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick and Brendan Montague, a journalist.

Their first application was denied in February but, Mr Justice Foskett said, considerable information had come to light subsequently.

Scotland Yard re-opened the 2006 phone hacking inquir this year under Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Since then dozens of individuals are understood to have been notified, including Lord Prescott.

He and his co-claimants argued that the police at first failed to conduct a proper inquiry and to inform them they were victims, breaching the European Convention on Human Rights.